Protests Have Broken Out In Cuba

• 8.07.2026, 18:09

Cubans are protesting over widespread power outages.

On July 7, Cuba experienced its third large-scale power outage this year, caused by a shortage of fuel for power plants. According to the Reuters, this led to spontaneous protests in Havana and several other cities. Residents took to the streets, lit bonfires, and chanted, “Turn on our lights.”

In January, the U.S. halted fuel shipments to Cuba and subsequently imposed new sanctions, which led to a mass exodus of foreign companies and tourists from the country.

There have been no reports of any clashes during the protests. Many residents are sitting on their doorsteps, either playing dominoes or chatting with one another on the street while waiting for power to be restored. “I don’t see a quick solution to this problem,” Reuters quotes Amaui Gonzalez, a Havana resident, as saying. “Our power plants are outdated, and there’s no fuel.”

On the evening of July 7, the country’s leading energy operator, UNE, reported a partial restoration of power in some western and eastern regions of the island. However, in the island’s second-largest city, Santiago de Cuba, power has not yet been restored.